Build Your Own Hive Carrier?

[Anonymous]

Anybody ever build your own two man hive carrier like you see in the Dadant catalog?  It's a steel frame device that hooks under the hand holds on a standard beehive and allows two persons to move an entire hive.

Seems like it would be pretty easy to make, and I'll try my own design when I get time.  But right now, I'm gearing up to move 15 hives cross state and need some good ideas.  I'll start another post on that.

Thanks!

[stilllearning]

I built mine from 3/4 inch emt electrical conduit
love it my wife helps me move hives with it all time
 next one i build will be shorter the long one is hard to raise up to bed of pickup so we use a small trailer with ramp that was built to carry a riding lawn mower on

[Michael Bush]

I bought mine, but it wouldn't be that hard to make one.  Another variation would be to make a frame of two by fours with hinges and some protrusions that fit into the hand holds.

[Joseph Clemens]

It sounds interesting, but since I only have me (one man), it wouldn't work, so I ratcket-strap my hives together and use a hand truck.

[Anonymous]

It sounds interesting, but since I only have me (one man), it wouldn't work, so I ratcket-strap my hives together and use a hand truck.

That was the route I was going to take, but I have a prospective new beekeeper that wants to help me.  Also, the hives are on stands, and without tearing them apart I'm not sure I could get them onto the ground where I could pick them up with the handtruck.

Stillearning, is emt strong enough for a fully loaded hive?  Did you weld your pieces together or drill and bolt?

Thanks! :D

[Jerrymac]

How tall are these hives. Sounds like this carrier would be used on the bottom box. If the hives are really stacked up it would be top heavey. Careful you don't tip and spill the bees.

[stilllearning]

John the way I built it, the emt will carry at least 200 lbs, that is all i have
tried it on. it is welded and I used a bolt for the hinge, if i can figure out how i will post some pics of it

[Anonymous]

How tall are these hives. Sounds like this carrier would be used on the bottom box. If the hives are really stacked up it would be top heavey. Careful you don't tip and spill the bees.

All the hives are set up with two deeps.  There won't be any supers with this deal. :(   Oh well.  At 80 bucks each, if they're full of bees and healthy, I won't complain!   :)

[stilllearning]

John,   Jerry-mac is right about them being top heavy

I fasten mine together with metal straps and screws

I always remove any supers before trying to lift the hive
my hives are mixed some single brood with food box some
double deeps and i can lift from the top box with out the top heavy
aspect.  I posted some pictures at

http://photobucket.com/albums/a178/waynecole

username=waynecole
password=takealook

  no one here to help take pics so they are kinda crude but you can get the idea    the pipe insulation was used to steady the lifting i made the lugs to long   the handel needs to be shorter for my wife to lift higher she is shorter than me

[mark]

...is emt strong enough.......
depends on which shift it was produced AND which end of the specs the steel was at.   i work where it is made and I wouldn't use it. it's only made to run electrical wires through.  you could have a real mess on your hands if the seam is weak and it collapses under the weight.   IMC you can probably get away with.

[Finsky]

I have that 15 hives and I change their pastures 1-2 times at summer.

In the middle of summer hives weight is something 300 lbs and I move them alone. It is easy.  Here is my pictures. I split my 6-7 box hive and lift them piece by piece onto carry. I have done this 35 years but now I found a good concept.

I make that even by day and I leave one box which gather the bees which are on field.

Stryrofoam boxes are good. They drop they weight.

When I was young I broke my back often when I lifted alone hives.Now splitting the hive, it is really easy. It needs that bees are calm.

Here I move hives from canola to fireweed.
http://bees.freesuperhost.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1121627860
.
.

[Michael Bush]

I'm with Finsky.  I just load them a box at a time onto a trailer, wait for them to sort things out, then close them up with screen and move them.  I never have anyone available to help.

[Anonymous]

Cool.  Great pics, by the way.  Finsky, in yours, do I see that you packed material into the corner of the hive to keep the frames from shifting?

Stilllearning, I like your design and greatly appreciate the pictures.  But I think I'm with Mark on this one.  I might use iron pipe instead.

I usually work alone on my bees.  It's easier for me and I like it.  But, since my co-worker (day job) is showing interest and volunteered, I think it will be nice to have a second strong back.

Thanks!!!   :D

[Finsky]

Cool.  Great pics, by the way.  Finsky, in yours, do I see that you packed material into the corner of the hive to keep the frames from shifting?

Yes, it is comb wax. Without locking frames  frames began to move in plastic boxand and crush bees. I have lost some queens because they are fat and run around frames. And when some of bees will be crushed it makes them very nervous. Colony  begins to "boil".

[Finsky]

I used many years this kind of tool, but new method is better.

[beesharp]

Here are photos of one I have on ebay.
It sure looks and feels like EMT, 3/4" or 1"
I considered building a couple and selling them,
but my welding skills are not good. If you knew
what you were doing welding and bending pipe
it would probably be pretty easy.

I never used this one, but borrowed one from
a friend previously. With a helper this is still
heavy work, but the handles makes it much
easier to manage.

ebay Hive Carrier

Jim

[RayJay24]

I used an old 4 wheeled orchard mower. Taking off the mower engine left me with a flatish platform that allowed me to bolt plywood to the tubular frame.

 Because the mower is low to the ground, I just have to separate some of the supers, stack them and move them, As it is a four wheeled device on pnumatic tyres, the weight is supurb and dead easy to move.   High handles at the rear to push,  and steerable front wheels to turn with

The mower cost me about $30 at a garage sale. Bargain.

If you want pictures, just email me and I'll send
ray.jermyn@xtra.co.nz